Anand is a young, carefree man from Salem who comes to Chennai to stay with his TV journalist friend Chandru to pursue his dream to become an actor with the help from his newly-found girlfriend Divya and Chandru. Meanwhile, Minister Viduthalai, who was touted to become the next chief minister, is killed by Minister Anbu Chezhiyan, which accidentally gets recorded on tape of an ad film director named Vinoth. Soon, Anand befriends a famous model named Pooja. They both see the video and inform the joint commissioner Kailasam, who is also a hand-in-glove in the murder. Kailasam sends some goons to get the tape, and Vinoth evades. After a long chase, Vinoth gets killed in the train where Anand and Divya were travelling. Anand, having witnessed the murder, places the tape into Divya's bag, which she misses in the train. Anand then develops a friendship with her after this. Anand, in an urge to become an actor, observes the character of people with a strange attitude. Ine such person is John Vijay. Anand joins John, who, in turn, promises to make him an actor. John takes Anand to a stranger's home and does things as if they were thieves. One such house was that of Pooja, where they go and get information regarding her. On that eve, Anand befriends Pooja when he saves her when she was laid in a pool of blood after being attacked by goons. She helps him become an actor and asks some photos of his to get him a chance. When Anand goes to Pooja's home, he finds her dead and is put to blame as he was the one present. Anand goes underground, mistaken by Divya and her mother. At last, it is known that John has used Anand and had also committed this cold-blooded murder. However, Kailasam is after Anand and the tape, and finally, Anand reminds himself that the tape was accidentally put in Divya's handbag. The tape goes to the right hands, that of Gopi, Pooja's media friend, who gets and publicizes it. In the end, John is killed, and Anand has become a real-life hero instead of an acting hero.
The soundtrack album of Vaamanan, composed by director Ahmed's friend Yuvan Shankar Raja, was released on 9 April 2009 at Sathyam Cinemas in Chennai. The album features 5 songs with lyrics written by lyricist Na. Muthukumar. The romance songs "Aedho Saigirai" and "Oru Devathai" were amongst the year's most popular songs.
Production
Development
In May 2008, it was reported, that a film titled Marainthirunthu Paarkum Marmam Enna, which is derived from a song from the 1968 Sivaji Ganesan-starrer Thillana Mohanambal, will be launched soon with actor Jeeva in the lead role. The film was to be directed by newcomer Ahmed with music scored by Yuvan Shankar Raja and cinematography by Arvind Krishna. However, no more news regarding the film came out until it was announced that the same director will direct the film, which was then renamed to Vaamanan with actor Jai in the lead and again with the support of Yuvan Shankar Raja and Arvind Krishna as the music composer and cinematographer respectively.
Filming
The film was launched on 10 September 2008 at Krishnaveni House, Chennai. The major parts of the film were shot in various places in India. The filming was first held in Chennai and later in Coimbatore, Saalakkudi and Hyderabad. Other important scenes and the songs were filmed in foreign countries also like in Thailand, United States, South Africa, Malaysia and Singapore. As an interesting aspect, an RC Helicopter is being used for filming, the first time ever in a South Indian Film. The film carries a special thanks in the title card to senior actor, Ajith Kumar, who assisted in helping fix a problem encountered with the helicopter.
Controversy
It is loosely based on Christopher Nolan’s Following. In March 2009, the lead actor Jai ran into trouble for making controversial comments about the potential box office fare of his future films. The actor, who was filming for Vaamanan, Aval Peyar Thamizharasi, Adhe Neram Adhe Idam and Arjunan Kadhali at the time, revealed that only Vaamanan would do well and the rest would become financial failures. The producer of this film also revealed he wanted to take action against Jai for “making such irresponsible and damaging statements about his own films.” Initially, the council had asked him to complete his pending assignments before he could start work on Venkat Prabhu's Goa, but, the producer of the film, Soundarya Rajinikanth, intervened and bailed Jai out of the ban.
Release
The satellite rights of the film were sold to Sun TV.
Reviews
Oneindia: "The first 30 minutes of the film looks very peppy and interesting and grips you to your seat, before slipping out into a run of the mill usual Kollywood style thriller". Hindu wrote: "Despite its share of improbabilities, if Vaamanan manages to impact the viewer to a certain extent it is mainly because of the raciness in the last lap". Rediff wrote: "the script lets off at the intermission, and made it tauter, racier, and with at least a sprinkling of logic". Sify wrote: "What could have been an edge-of-the-seat crime thriller falls flat in the second half due to lack of a proper script and far too many compromises made by the director".
